So... am I supposed to cut on this cutting board? Or not?
 

I have one of those big 36" x 54" no-name translucent gridded plastic cutting boards that I bought at JoAnn's. It's nice and big. But when I rotary cut on it, my blades get dull ever so fast.

By way of contrast, I have a little 12" square June Tailor cutting board, and I've been cutting little blocks on that for a very long time and my blade is still ok.

So... is it the board that is the problem?

yes. I dont usually cut on mine I use it to square things or as a work surface.

I have one of the large translucent cutting boards, but mine is a Beba. I think my blades actually last longer on this than they did on my self-healing mat.

The June Taylor mats are hard surface mats. The blade does not cut into it, it rolls on top. The blade cuts into the self healing mat so you are cutting mat and fabric. I've seen cutting tables at fabric shops with the mat you have on top and they cut on it.

I've had one of those large white cutting boards from Joann's for years. Just replaced the one that I had for. probably 8-10 years. When it got grooves in the places that I usually cut the most we cut it in half and turned the center pieces to the outside. I haven't noticed my blades getting dull quickly.

I actually prefer the nard mats like june tailor because blades don't dull quickly

I cut so much fabric, my blades get dull no matter which of my boards I use.

I use mine for lining up and whatnot. Like you, I find my blades dull quickly, plus it leaves marks on the mat.

Very interesting! I have a 36" x 68" white board such as you describe (made by Sew/Fit Co. in IL) that I've had since I first started quilting; it is the same size as my plywood "table top". I've always done all my rotary cutting on it while the smaller cutting boards just hang on the wall and never get used. So I do not know if the blades would last longer if I used the smaller boards; I must try it when I cut something small. I do love the fact that I can cut long lengths of fabric on the big board without having to fold it; for me, that trumps my blades getting dull.

Speaking of dull blades did you ever try that running the blade through aluminum foil someone on here suggested? That works pretty good and I have an old white cuttinig board and I clean it with the yellow or green pot scrubbers rather than buying the cleaners for them.
If I had to repace mine I think i would busy the harder one.